Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, popularly known as FRYO, has officially emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Osun State. He will fly the party’s flag in the election scheduled for August 8, 2026.
The victory came during the primary election held in Osogbo on Tuesday. Security operatives maintained a heavy presence at the venue due to the recent political turbulence rocking the state chapter.
Landslide Victory
Humphrey Abba, the Chairman of the Primary Election Committee, announced the results after the voting concluded. He declared Adedamola the clear winner with a landslide victory.
Specifically, Adedamola polled 919 votes out of the 957 accredited ballots cast by delegates.
Abba noted that officials recorded 20 void votes. These invalid ballots were largely attributed to the withdrawal of the incumbent, Governor Ademola Adeleke. Although the Governor resigned from the party a day prior, his name reportedly remained on the ballot paper.
“The candidate that got the remaining votes is Adebayo Adedamola with 919 votes and he stands elected and returned,” the committee chairman affirmed.
Party officials insisted that the election followed established guidelines strictly. They confirmed that only accredited delegates participated in the voting process.
Background: How Governor Adeleke Left the Party
The primary election occurred amidst a severe leadership crisis that culminated in Governor Ademola Adeleke’s sudden exit.
Just 24 hours before the primary, Governor Adeleke formally announced his withdrawal from the race. Subsequently, he tendered his resignation from the PDP entirely.
In a letter addressed to the PDP Chairman of Ward 2, Sagba Abogunde in Ede North Local Government Area, the Governor cited persistent leadership turmoil at the national level as his reason for leaving.
The crisis within the PDP has escalated since the 2023 general election. Factional infighting fractured the party, and many members hoped the recent emergence of Turaki as the new national chairman would resolve these issues. However, the new leadership appointment reportedly deepened existing cracks rather than healing them.
Sources indicate that irreconcilable differences arose between the Governor’s camp and the new party hierarchy regarding the control of party structures. Consequently, this power struggle made continued co-existence impossible.
Ultimately, the incumbent Governor sought his political future elsewhere, clearing the path for Adedamola to emerge as the new PDP flagbearer.
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